Coyotes Players Bring Home Gold, Silver and Bronze

GLENDALE, ARIZONA – The Phoenix Coyotes had three players win medals at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Mike Smith won the gold medal with Canada; Oliver Ekman-Larsson captured silver with Sweden; and Lauri Korpikoski won bronze with Finland. The Coyotes’ three medal winners are their most in Phoenix history and second-most in franchise history.

Smith became the first Coyote to win an Olympic gold medal. The 31-year-old native of Kingston, Ontario was also the first goaltender in franchise history to represent Canada at the Winter Olympics.

Ekman-Larsson finished his first Olympics with 0-3-3 and a plus-four rating in six games for Sweden. The 22-year-old Karlskrona, Sweden native skated in 7:19 and took nine shifts in the gold medal game against Canada. Ekman-Larsson is the second player in franchise history to win an Olympic silver medal and the first since 1988.

Korpikoski, who was also participating in his first Olympics, registered 2-2-4 with a plus-three rating in six games for Finland. The 27-year-old Turku, Finland native recorded 0-2-2 to help Finland defeat the United States, 5-0, in the bronze medal game.